Train-counting apparatus



NOV. 18, 1930. P, grr-@KEWv 1,782,052 Y TRAIN COUNTING APPARATUS l Filed Jan. 16,1950 zsneets-sheet 1 qu@ 'qu 58W D Q l\ Pw R my; m 1 N gl 1) m N (zo i) it; u N

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TRAIN GOUNTING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 16, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 QN l Q69 v A J P. P, 5ta/ter,

CLR-W Patented Nov. 18, 1930 Lerares PAUL P. VSTO'KER, OF WILKINSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR T0 THE, UNION SWITCH & SIGNAL COIVIPANY, OE SVJISSVIIE, PENNSYLVANIA, A. CORPORATION OF n PENNSYLVANIA TRAIN-COUNTIES APPARATUS Application filed January 16, 1930. .Serial-No. 421,145.

My invention relates to train counting apparatus, and hasior an obj ect the provision of novel and improved means for counting the passage of trains into and out of a stretch otsingle track, whereby a certain number ot n trains moving in one direction may be allowed to enter such stretch, but no trains moving in the other direction will be allowed to enter the stretch until all of the tiret-mentioned o trains have passed out of the stretch.

y I will describe one form of apparatus embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figs. 1f@l 5 andl", when placed end to end, with Fig. 1a on the left, constitute a diagrammatic view showing one form of apparatus embodying my invention.

Referrlng to the drawings, the reference characters 61 and 62 designate the track rails of a single track over which traffic moves in both directions. These rails are divided by insulated `joints 7- to form a stretch 1 2, which stretch I will hereinafter refer to as stretch Z. 'Ihe purpose of the present invention is to provide means for counting the passage of trains through the stretch Z.

Located at the lett-hand end of the stretchy Z are two short insulated track sections.1 3 0 and 3 4. Each of these sections is provided with a t-rack circuit comprising a track bat-- tery 8 and the operating winding of a track relay A or F, the two track relays being interlocked in the usual manner to constitute an f interlocking relay El. Located at the righthand end of the stretch Z are two short insulated sections of track 2 5 and 5 6, likewise provided with track circuits comprising track relays C and D which are interlocked to constitute an interlocking relay E2 oi" the usual and well known type. Each track relay A and D may be termed an operating relay. whereas, each of the other track relays F and C may be termed a restoring relay.

Located at the point 6 is a signal S for governing traffic moving toward the lettyin the stretch Z, and located at the point 4 is another signal S1 for governing traffic moving toward the right into the stretch Z.

rihe operating trackv relay D providedA` A with an operating repeater relay DR, and the eperating ,track relay A is provided Vwith an operating repeater relay AR. The restoring track relay C is provided with a restoring repeater relay CR, while the restoring relay isprovided with a restoring repeater relay FYR. Associated with the repeater relay CR is a slow-releasing relay CRS, and associated with the repeater relay FR is a slow-releasing relay FRS. p p y Associated with the signal S is a series of counting relays J, K, L and M, and associated with the signal S1 is another series of counting relays IJ, IK, IL and IM. 'The first group of counting relays is provided with a group of transfer relays T1, T2 T3 and T4; while the second group of countingv relays is provided with another group of ltransfer relays ITl, ITZ, IT3 and IT4.

The signals are controlled in part by a manually operable lever Gry having a normal or intermediate position in which both of the associated contacts 9 and 10are open, but which lever may be moved to a lett-hand position wherein contact 9 is closed, and to a right-hand position wherein contact 10 is closed. Associated with this lever Gr are two indicating lamps 11 and 12, the functions of which will appear hereinafter.

Signal S is provided with a normally deenergized caution relay H, and a normally cle-energized proceed relay Q. Relay I-I is controlled byl a normally de-energized main relay V, and by a normallyl energized stick relay W, the relay V being controlled in part by the manually operable lever G as will here- V, and the winding of relay W to terminal O I of kthe same source of current. Signal S1 is provided with caution and proceed relays H1 and Q1 respectively, and relay H1 is controlled4 by relays V1 and W1,'which correspond in all respectsto the relays V and W associated with signal S. i y

Each of the counting relays J, IQ L and M, as well as IJ, IK, IL and IM`,vis normally energized, but all of the transfer relays and all of the repeater relays are normally deenergized.

The circuits for the Various relays Will be traced in connection With the description of the operation of the apparatus.

I Will first assume that the operator desires to permit a train moving toward the left to .enter the stretch Z. To do this, 'he will ino've lever G to the left thereby closing a circuit for relay V, which circuit passes from terminal B, through contact 9ct lever G, contact 20 of counting relay IJ, contacts 21, 22, 28 and24 of counting relays J, K, L and M, respectively, all of Which contacts are connected in multiple, thence through Wire 69 and the Winding oit' relay V, toa common Wire O Which is connected to terminal O of the same source ofrcurrent. `Vhen relay V becomes energized, it will open the circuit previously traced for relay W, but will close .a stick circuit for the latter relay, rwhich stick circuit passes from terminal B, through the front point of contact 126 of relay V, fronty contacts 17 and 18 of track relays Dand C, respectively, front contact 19 ofrelay Wr, and the Winding of relay l/Vitoyterminal G. Relay l/V is sufficiently slow-releasing in character to prevent it from releasing during the transit of Contact 16 from its back -to its front point. Relay H Will become energized in response to the closing of relay V, by virtue of a circuit which includes'front contact 71 of relay V and `front contact 72 of relay lV. The closing of relay H will close a caution V ci-'rcuitfor signal S, Which" circuit is from ter- S, `and-front contact 14 of relay H to terminal O. Relay Q will Valso become energized by virtue of a circuit Which passes from terlcontact 14 of relay H to terminal O.

-minal B, through contact v9 of lever G, contact 2O of counting relayy IJ, Contact 25 ofcounting relay J, Wire 70, and the Winding ot relay Q to common Wire O. The closing ot relay Will close a proceed circuit for sig- S, Which circuit passes from terminalvB, through the front point of Contact 13 of Lrelay H, front contact 15 of relay Q., the operating mechanism of signal S and roit t follows that signal S will give a proceed indication and so the train moving toward the left will be lpermitted to enter stretch Z.

When this train enters section 5;(5, it will open track relay D, thereby opening at con tact 17 the stick circuit for relay TN, so that the latter relay Will become cle-energized and will open at contact 72 the circuit for the caution relay H. This Will result in causing signal S t0 return to the stop position. The opening of relay D Will also close the circuit for the repeater relay DB, which circuit it Will have no el'lect on the contacts associated With relay C, because of the 'interlocking characteristic of the tvvo track relays C and D. The back contact 47 oli' relay D Will open, however, thereby again de-energizing the operating repeater relay DR, and this will result in closing a pick-up circuit for transfer relay T1, which circuit passes from `,terminal B, through back Contact 34 of relay DR, .back contact '35 of relay J, and -thewv'inding of relay 'T1 to terminal 0. The closing of relay Tlwvillclose a stick circuit for this relay, `which circuit passes from terminal B, through back contact 38 o'f'relay J, 'fron'tcontact 89 of rel-ayT1, and the Wind-ing of relay T1 to ternri-nal VO. With Ithe firstftrai-n in stretch Z,s.then, counting 'relay J Will be deenergized and transfer relay T1 Will be energized. Inasmuch as the -e'ircuit for the proceed `relay Q, includes a frontfcontact'Q of counting relay J, it follows that Irelay Q, hask become cle-energized andwillremain cile-energized until relay J again becomes energized. The circuit for the main relay V has not been afected, however, because this circuit includes, in multiple, front contacts of the `several counting relays J, K, L andM.

I Will now assume that the operator desires to allow second train ymoving' toward :theleft to enter the stretch 'Z,While this stretch is still occupied by the first train. To do this, he Will restore lever G to its middle position, thereby Cle-energizing relay V, with the result that the stick relay WWill aga-in become energized. The operator Will then move the Vlever Gr to its 'lett-hand position, ,thereby energizing relay V, with theresult that relay H ywill beco-nie energized, and this will cause signal S to assume the caution position. SignalS cannot be caused to give the 4proceed "indication, lbecausethe proceed relay IQ, cannot be ener- `g'ized. 4Vhen the second train 'enters section 5 6, the opening of track relay D will close the circuit for the operating repeater relay DR as before, and theclosing of relay DR will open a stick circuit for relay K, which circuit is vfrom terminal B, through the back contact 26 of'relay DR, 'front point of contact 28 ot transfer relay T1, front Contact 29 of relay K, and the Winding of relay K to terminal IO. It follows that relay K Will become de-energized. When repeater relay DBcag-ain opensI in response to the closing ot' track relay D, transfer relay 'T2 Will become energized, the circuit being from terminal B, through the back point of contact 34: of relay DR, back back point ot Contact 2G ot relay DR, liront the control of repeaterlrelay DR, the circuitv being from terminal B, through back contact 26 of relay DR, :t'ront peintY of contact 28 of relay Tl, front point of'contact 30 of relay T2, front contact 3l ot' relay L, and the Winding of relay L to terminal O. i

Assuming novv that the operator desires to admit a third train to the stretch Z, he will irst restore lever Gr to its middle position and will then again move it to its lett-hand pcsition. thereby energizing relays V and `W, as

before. VWhen the third train enters section 5 6, relay DR will become energized and Will open the stick circuit just traced for relay L, With the result that the latter relay Will become opened. When relay DR againbecomes cle-energized, transfer relay Will be energized by virtue of a circuit Which passes from terminal Bthrough back cont-act 34 of relay DR, back contact 37 of relay L, and the Windin gotq relay T3 to terminal O. This Will place relay M under the control of relay DR, the circuit being from terminal B, through the contact 28 of relay T1', front contact 30 of relay T2, front contact 32 of'relay T3, iront contact 33 ofrelay M, and the' lv'vinding of relay M to terminal O. o

If now a fourth train moving toward the Y left is permitted'to enter stretch Z,'the opening of relay DR'Will open the circuit `just traced for relay M, so that the latter relay Will become cle-energized. Then when relay DR again closes, transfer relay T4t will become energized by a circuit which passes from terminal B, through back contact 34 of relay DR, back contact 44 of relay M, and the Winding of relay T4 to terminal O.

All four or" the counting relays J, K, L and M Will noW be open, so that the circuit for relay V Will be openat all four contacts 2l, 22, 23 and 24 ofthese relays, With the result that signal S cannot again be moved tothe caution position, and so it follows that' no further trains moving toward the lett can be permitted to enter stretch Z.

I Will now assume that the first of the trainsl referred to above, passes out of the stretch Z.

lVhen this train enters section 3 1, it will open track relay F,and this will close a circuit for the restoring repeater relay FR; which circuit includes back contact 49 of relay F and Wire 65. The closing of repeater relayv repeater relay FR. Before relay FRS releases, how-ever,l a circuit for relay M' Will become closed, Which circuit passes from terminal B, through back contact 52 of relay lFR, front` contactr53 of relay FRS, front a, point of contact 54 of relay T4, and the Winding ot relay M to terminal O. Relayl M will then be held closed bythe stick circuit traced hcreinbefora which circuit includes back contact 26 of repeater relay DR. The closgli ing of relay M will open the stick circuit for relay T4 at contact 45,v so that relay Tt Will also open. VOvvingto the interlocking characteristics-of relay E1, the de-energization of relay A when thetrain enters sections 3 4 Will have no effect on 'the rest of the apparatus. Tf noW the second train passes out of stretch-Z,l relays FR and FRS Will be operated as before, whereupon, relay L Will become energized by virtue of a circuit Which c55 passes from terminal B, through back contact V520i relay FR, trontcontact'53 of relay FRS; back Contact 54 of relay T4, front contact 55 of relay T2, front Contact 580i relay Y M and Windingv of relay L to terminal Q Ello Relay L rvvill'then be held closed virtue of the stick circuit which was traced hereinbefore. The opening of relay L Will open the stick circuit for relay T3 at contact 42, and the Vnormal stick circuit for relay M vvill then= be closedthrough front contact 33 of relay M and back contact 32 of relay T3. Vlllhen the third train passe'sout ot thel stretch Z,

relay K will. become energized by virtue ot a circuit which Will be obvious from the fore-i100 goingY Without detailed explanation.v The closing of relay K Will open'the stick circuit he will swing the lever G to the righthand position, thereby closing a circuit for relayc V1, Which includes lever contact 10, `front contacts in multiple of relays Ll, TK, IL and IM, a front contact of relay J, and Wire 67. Relay Q1 will also become energized by virtue of a circuit Which includes a front con---f tact .of relay 'IJ and Wire 68. When the train enters section 4 3 it will open the relay A, andthis will close at back contact 50 the circuit for repeater relay AR, and successive operations of track relay A by successive trains moving toward the'right Will actuate relay AR in the same Way that relay DR actuated by successive trains moving toward the lei't.v Relay lAR vvill control thecounting relays IJ, etc.,-land the transfer relays lTl, 130

etc., in the same way that the corresponding relays were controlled by relay DR. It follows that it is unnecessary to explain in detail the operation of the apparatus during the passage of trains moving toward the the right. v i Y VVhiletlie stretch Z is occupied by a train moving toward the right, couiitingi'elay IJ will, of course, be open, and, consequently, the'circuitsfor relays V and Q will be opened at front Contact 20 of this relay. It follows .that Linder this condition it will be impossible for the operator to cause signal S to assume either the caution or the proceed position, and so it will be impossible for him to admit a train moving .toward the left into stretch Z. For a similar reason it is imposf sible. to allow a train moving toward the right to enter stretch Z while this stretch is occupied by one or more trains moving toward the left. n

When counting relay J is open, indication lamp 12 will be lighted by virtue ofa circuit which includes back contact 73 of this relay, and this lamp will indicate to the operator that the stretch Z is occupied by one or more trains moving toward the lett. Multiple circuits are provided for lampil2 which include back contacts of the remaining counting relays K, L andM, to insure that thisV lamp will be lighted whenever Qany one of the counting relays is open. Similarly, when counting relay IJ is open, lamp 11 will be lighted by virtue of a circuit which includes back contact 74 of this relay, thereby indicating to the operator that stretch Z is occupied by one or more trains moving toward the right. This lamp is provided with multiple lcircuits corresponding to those for lamp 12.

Referring now to the assumption that stretch Z is occupied by a train moving toward the left, I will assume that this train enters the restoring sectionB-l at the same time that a second train moving toward the left enters the operating section 5-6. The effect of the first train would be to close relay J, and the elect of the second train would be to open relay Q, but obviously neither'of these operations should be allowed to occur. For this reason I have provided a stick circuit for relay FRS, which circuit passes from terminal B, through the front point of contact 34 of relay DR, front contact 7 5 of relay i FRS, and the winding of relay FRS to terminal O. It follows that relay FRS will remain energized as long as relay DRrremains ener- Igized. In other words, the control of relay FRS is transferred from relay FR to relay. DR, and so relay K, which is opened due to the closing of relay DR, will again become closed after relay DR closes, theY circuit `for relay K then being from terminal B, through back contact 52 of relay FR, front contact 53 of relays FRS,back contact 5d of relay T4, back contact 55 of relay T3, front contact 56 of relayT2, front contact 59 of relayl L, and the winding of relay K to terminal O. It follows that after the first train has passed out of stretch Z and the second train has entered this stretch, relay J will be open and relay K will be closed, so that the counting relays will be in the condition corresponding to but one train in the stretch. Iielay y.CRS is provided Vwith a stick circuit controlled by the relay AR for the same purpose.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of apparatus embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing fromthe spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l.v In combination, a stretch of railway track, a signal governing traic into said' stretch, va plurality of normally energized counting relays, means for successively deenergizing said relays in one order as successive trains enter said stretch, means for;-

successively reenergizing said relays'in the reverse order as'successive trains leave the stretch, a main relay and a proceed relay for said signal, a circuit for said main relay including front contacts of all of said countassociated with each signal, means operating as successive trains enter said stretch from one end to successively de-energize the associated counting relays in one order, means A operating as said trains successively leave the stretch at the other end to successively reenergize in the other order the relays which were cle-energized as the same trains entered the stretch, means for preventing each signa-l from indicating proceed unless all of the associated counting relays are energized, and for causing the signal to indicate caution when, any number less than all of the associated counting relays are energized, and means for preventing either signal from indicating caution or proceed when the first counting relayV associated with the other signal is cle-energized. Y

3. In combination, a stretch of railway track, two short, insulated sections at each end of said stretch, the sections remote from the stretch being operatingsections and the iis sectionsradjacent the stretch being restoring sections, signals at the ends of said stretch ineens-2f for governing traic into the stretch, a plurality of normally energized counting relays associated With each signal, means responsive to the passage of successive trains over each operating section to successively de-energize the associated counting relays in one order, means responsive to the passage of such trains over the restoring section at the other end of the stretch to successively re-energize in the other order the relays which were deenergized as the same trains entered the stretch, means for preventing operation of said counting relays due to the passage of trains over said restoring sections While entering the stretch, means for preventing each signal from indicating proceed unless all of the associated counting relays are y energized and for causing the signal to in` dicate caution when. any number less than all of theV associated counting relays are energized, and means for preventing either signal from indicating caution or proceed When the irst counting relay associated with the other signal is de-energized.

4. In combination, a stretch of railway track, two short insulated sections at each -end of said stretch, track circuits including track relays for said sections, the relays for the sections remote from said stretchv being operating relays and the relays for the sections adjacent said stretch being restoring Y relays, an operating repeater relay for each operating track relay and a restoring repeater relay for each restoring track relay, the track relays at each end of the'stretch being interlocked so that'a train entering the stretch Will actuate only the' operating repeater relay and a train leaving the stretch will actuate only the restoring repeater relay, signals at the ends of said stretch-for governing traffic into the stretch, a plurality cf normally energized counting relays associated with each signal, means responsive to successive actuations of each operating repeater Y relay to successively de-ener 'ze the associated counting relays in one or er,

means responsive to successive actuations lof each restoring repeater relay to successively re-energize the associated counting relays in the other order, means for preventing each signal from indicating proceed unless all of the associated counting relays are energized and for causing the signal to indicate caution When any number less than all of the n associated counting relays are energized, and means for preventing either signal from indicating caution or proceed When the first counting relay associated with the other signal is cle-energized.

In testimony whereof I aiiX my signature.

PAUL P. STOKER. 

